Ustyurt Nature Reserve, Nature reserve in Mangystau Province, Kazakhstan

The Ustyurt Nature Reserve is a protected area of republican significance in Karakiya District in western Kazakhstan. The reserve covers part of the Ustyurt Plateau and includes wide desert plains, steppe zones, and sharp rock escarpments rising above the flat terrain.

The idea of a reserve on the Ustyurt Plateau emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, as desert spaces of western Kazakhstan were being opened up. The Ustyurt State Nature Reserve was established on 12 July 1984 by decree No. 294 of the Kazakh SSR Council of Ministers, covering 223,300 hectares. It was placed under the Main Directorate for Reserves and Hunting of the Kazakh SSR Council of Ministers.

The Koksem well and spring at the foot of the western chink are known for their sweet water; a Kazakh saying goes, "In the hollow a spring, on the ridge Koksem." A Turkmen elder's legend tells of sons sent to fetch this water, testing whether they would bring it honestly. The reserve's museum in Aktau presents the desert's flora and fauna.

Access requires a permit in advance and is usually organized through guided tours, as the reserve operates under strict regulations. The best time to visit is spring or autumn, when temperatures are milder and wildlife sightings become more likely.

The white chalk cliffs along the edges of the plateau form long walls rising from the plain, often used as landmarks by travelers. These geological structures formed millions of years ago when the region was still covered by a shallow sea.